


Amethyst Scales

by Lupa1315



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff and Angst, MerMay 2018, Minor Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 13:44:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15583254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lupa1315/pseuds/Lupa1315
Summary: After losing a bet to his life long friend, Matt takes a plunge in the ocean. What he finds is more than anticipated. (In which Kerberos and Voltron never happened, and our space boys are living normal lives)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was originally a one-shot for mer-may, the first contribution to a tag I've ever made. The OC is from my other fic, The Secret Weapon. Totally check it out if you like this. I might continue this, so feel free to comment or like it and let me know if I should or not.  
> Enjoy!

The water was cold, but that was to be expected when swimming at midnight. Matt cursed Shiro each step he took deeper into the sea, regretting ever making the bet. It was stupid, Matt bet that Shiro couldn't get the number of the super hot, famous model. He should've known better, Shiro was a very attractive man who had no trouble with the ladies, parallel to himself who always had trouble. Just once, he wanted to show that his friend wasn't all that. Now he was paying the price.

As he finally sunk to his chest, he looked over at the older man, hoping this was punishment enough.

It wasn't. 

"All the way under," Shiro yelled with a sly grin stretched across his face. He loved when Matt's plans backfired. 

Matt gulped, hating the water as he wasn't the best swimmer. Good enough not to drown, but he tired easily. He pushed his thoughts aside and dove under.

Opening his eyes, the ocean took on an eerie darkness, with only the pale moon above for light. The moonlight caused any passing fish to shimmer, and Matt found himself intrigued. He hovered his hand over the fish, watching the scales go dark before shimmering again like treasure. The fish didn't stay long though, swimming away at lightning speed as soon as he brought his hand back. Matt pouted, losing his entertainment.

He started to come up for air when a dark figure quickly passed him, almost too fast for him to see. He came up quickly, gasping for air. Perhaps it was just another fish, but it was bigger than any he'd seen. Part of him was worried, but the other part was curious. 

As always, curiosity won and he dove back down.

It was harder to see this time, but he was determined to find whatever he saw. Light shined against amethyst scales, causing him to snap his attention to it. They were beautiful, and the light reflecting off of them seemed to brighten the dark waters. He moved his hand over the scales like with the other fish, admiring the shiny scales when he noticed this wasn't a normal fish. A pair of giant, jagged fins were attached to the scales, just as shiny and just as beautiful. But strange as well. He pushed himself back a bit, putting distance between him and the mysterious creature.

Suddenly, he heard music. It wasn't muffled by the water either, instead it was clear and magnificent. It sounded like a woman singing, her voice smooth and strong, yet rich like chocolate. He found himself swimming closer to the amethyst scales, now fully seeing the singer. 

She was beautiful in an intimidating sort of way. Raven black hair with snow white streaks cascaded down past her hips, contrasting pale skin that matched the moonlight. Her tail shined brighter as she sang....wait, tail?! His eyes couldn't believe the image in front of him. He'd only ever heard stories as a kid but now....Now he was looking directly at one! A mermaid! 

Her fins swayed like a metronome as she continued her song, inching closer to him. He was caught in her silver gaze, and as her hand grazed his cheek, he went stiff. His whole body tensed until he was like a statue.

It was in that moment that he remembered a fine detail that Disney and some other tales failed to inform. Mermaids were also called sirens. They sang songs to lure men out into open waters and drown them. 

All his willpower wasn't enough though, only draining him of energy faster. He needed to go up to the surface;He needed air! 

The mermaid's eyes never left his, their bodies only an inch apart now. She started to lean forward, puckering her full lips slightly, ready to connect them with his. Matt blushed even though he was still sure she wanted to kill him. The idea of kissing this beautiful creature didn't seem like a bad way to go. At least then Shiro couldn't make fun of him for never being kissed before. 

He could feel what little bit of oxygen he had left slowly slip away and his vision started to turn black. The beautiful mermaid blurred to a purple and black shadow. This is it, he thought. This is how I die. He'd never see his family again;never see Katie again. The thought saddened him, but the situation was inevitable. He was going to drown, all because of his own stupidity and Shiro's dare. 

A pair of hands gripped his flesh and he felt himself be pulled up. His vision went out completely, but before his brain shut down, he felt a strong grip around his chest. Thick arms were latched, as he was tugged away.

.....................  


"Matt!" 

A strong voice cut through the darkness and Matt woke with a start. Looking up, he could see a sopping wet Shiro leaning over him, eyes filled with concern.

Matt sat up, coughing the last little bit of water stuck in his throat out. "What happened?" He groaned, moving his blonde locks that were plastered to his face out of the way.

"You nearly died, you idiot." His friend shouted, but there was relief in his voice. "One minute you pop up and I think you're coming to shore, then the next, you go back under. What were you thinking?"

_What was I thinking?_ He couldn't remember.

"I uh....I saw something..." That's right, he did see something! The mermaid with the shiny purple scales! His eyes darted back to the water, wondering if she had swam off, not getting her kiss, or if she was still around.

Shiro grabbed Matt's hand and pulled him up, wrapping one arm around his for balance. "You and your curiosity," he muttered. "Let's get you back home, your sister will be worried sick." 

Matt nodded before turning back to the ocean. A silhouette peaked out from behind the rocks and an amethyst tail could be seen swaying back and forth. A smile crossed his face. Sure she could've killed him, but as he remembered the hands pulling him up, along with seeing the mermaid here, he came to a different conclusion. Maybe she wasn't so bad as the stories say. He wanted to wave, but knew it would compromise her hiding spot. Instead, he made a decision. He was going to get better at swimming and see her again. He was curious of her now, and that could mean big trouble.


	2. The average life of Matt Holt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This isn't exactly an exciting chapter, but I wanted to bring in some more faces and shine some light on Matt's mundane life.

Every day after work, Matt would spend two hours swimming in the community pool.

Sure, he looked a bit ridiculous, but he didn't care. He wanted to become a better swimmer and find that mermaid again. From time to time, when he'd dive under the water, he'd hear her song softly in the back of his mind. It was soothing.

He finally tired himself out and sat at the edge of the pool. "You've been here all week. What gives?"

Matt turned his attention to Lance, a college student from Cuba who was studying marine biology. Lance was about the only person Matt talked to since he was also there a lot, teaching swim lessons for kids. With a small chuckle, Matt answered, adding a slightly sarcastic tone. "Oh, you know, just working on this fabulous body." In reality, Matt was basically a bunch of twigs attached to a slightly bigger twig. He had no abs, no bulky muscles to show off, and swimming made him realize that even more. His whole body screamed at him with hatred over the exersion. It was times like these he wished he had Shiro's body. Of course, it's his own fault. Shiro offered many times to join in his workouts, but Matt refused, claiming he didn't want to watch him flirt for three hours. 

Lance laughed at the comment. "No, seriously, what are you doing? You're gonna hurt yourself if you keep this up." 

He had a point, but the blond-haired boy was too determined. "I..." He hesitated, not knowing if it was safe to inform Lance of his findings. The boy might want to catch her to study her more. No, he must keep a tight lid on things. "I just thought this was a good way to pass the time. Clear my head from my boring job." This was true to a point as he hated his desk job, sorting papers for his father. However, it was the only way to get up to computer programming, so he learned to tough it out.

Lance didn't look too convinced by his answer, but he shrugged it off. "You need to balance it out. Take short breaks in between laps. Yeah, at first your muscles will hate you more than they probably do right now, but-" he gestured toward his slim yet toned physique. "You'll gain more noticeable muscles, and it'll be easier on your heart. Trust me, I use to be a competitive swimmer."

"I'll keep that in mind." He chuckles before standing. "So, are you heading out for thte day?" 

"Yep," Lance nodded, bringing his towel around to drape over his deeply tanned shoulders. He was so carefree and just a pure-hearted person, it was hard to be secretive with him. Maybe just this once...

The boys walked toward the locker room, changing into their regular clothes before packing up their bags. Lance was combing through his hair and humming contently to himself. Matt cleared his throat. "So, uh....weird question, something my sister asked me....Do you think it's possible for mermaids to exist?"

Lance stopped combing and looked at Matt's reflection in the mirror. Then, he laughed. A loud, bubbly laugh that filled the whole room. "Well, if you were one of my dad's friends, I'd have to say "no" for the simple fact that they all think it's a bunch of mumbo jumbo and would tell me to grow up. However, from a curious standpoint, I'd say I'd like to think it's possible. The ocean is so big, there's no telling what all it has hidden beneath the surface. But ive never seen one, or have any evidence to prove they exist, so i dont know." 

That wasn't the answer Matt expected out of Lance. Honestly, it was better. He feared Lance would just make fun of him for asking such a question. "Thanks," he said as he zipped up his bag and threw it over his shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess." And with that, he took his leave.

***

Arriving at his apartment was like lifting a weight from his shoulders. Instantly, he felt less stressed, more at ease. He lived alone so he didn't have to worry about a roommate and their friends being crazy or obnoxious. The most he had was his books, telescope, gaming system, and a few goldfish that occupied a tank in the living room. A peaceful place, perfect for him.

Upon entering, he quickly dropped his bag beside the door and plopped onto the tan couch his parents gave to him when they got a new one. Swimming earlier tired him out more than before, and he felt it each step he had taken to get to his private oasis. He could've fallen asleep right there had a knock on the door not stirred him back to consciousness.

He groaned, forcing himself up to cross the distance to the door. Luckily, it was just his landlord, a sweet old Korean man with shiny white hair, reminding him about his upcoming rent. That, and he was worried Matt was a bit too lonely.

"You know," he said, poking Matt's leg with his cane, "you are more than welcome to bring people over. That Shirogane guy is always happy to see you, or you could bring over a lady friend if that's what you prefer. I have a niece that would be perfect for you!" 

Matt turned beet red and started waving his hands wildly in front of him. "Mr. Choi, n-no! I...I appreciate your concern for me, but I'm just fine on my own. I don't need a lady friend. So, thank you but no thanks. I'll be sure to have rent for you next week." 

Quickly, he stepped back into his apartment and shut the door. He felt bad. Mr. Choi was just being nice, but Matt had enough of people trying to set him up on dates. His parents were always trying to get him to go out with girls they knew either from work or personal friends, and Shiro was worse, forcing him into dates with people he had either been with before or ones that chased him when he wasn't interested. It was exhausting.

Speaking of exhausted, he yawned and trudged to his room, swapping his button-up shirt and black pants for a nice soft pair of dark green pajama pants. Once he had brushed his teeth and set out his clothes for the next day, he turned out the lights and walked toward his extremely comfortable bed. He crawled in and curled up in the blankets, falling asleep faster than ever before.

In his dreams, her song still echoed, mesmerising him as he replayed that moment. Her eyes staring into his; her lips inching toward his. Where at first he felt fear, now he almost wanted to close that gap between them. To welcome it and feel her mouth on his. True, she was probably just trying to kill him, but then why save him? It had to be her hands that lifted him to the surface, they were too small to be Shiro's. Maybe she just changed her mind? Or maybe she was being told to kill him and resisted. If that was the case, he hoped she was okay. He didn't want her to get hurt, especially because of him.

With this new thought in mind, he knew he had to go out and find her again quickly. Saturday. That's when he'd go. It was only two days away and he could prepare himself for it. It was settled.

Saturday he was going to catch that mermaid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, 15 hits already! That's more than I thought I would get on this. Anyway, after thinking it over, I decided I'd add more to the story. It may be slow going since I have another fic, plus my original stories to work on as well, but I'm determined. I'm bringing in more characters soon, so be on the lookout. Thanks again for reading!


	3. Meet-ups and Rain Checks

The week went by slow to the point where Matt was ready to pull his hair out. He could not take another hour of ongoing phone calls and paper cuts. Even in the comfort of his home, he was so antsy, he overfed the fish and had unstacked and restacked his entire bookshelf four times. 

Finally, Saturday came. He was so excited, he packed up his gear and rushed past Mr. Choi and Shiro on his way out. Shiro tried to stop him, to get answers as to why he was in such a hurry, but Matt ignored him completely. He barreled toward the beach, ready to put his swim lessons to the test. Thankfully, the beach was empty. It was early, but he wanted to be able to see the mermaid better in the light. Hopefully, she came out during the day. Using the restrooms behind Sal's Food Shack, he changed into a pair of orange swim trunks, strapped on an oxygen tank, and for the final touch, slipped his goggles on. He needed to be able to see clearly and breathe, plus the mouthpiece came in handy should the mermaid try to kiss him again. After carefully thinking it over, he fought back the delusions that attempted to plague his mind. He wanted information, not lip-locking. 

Knowing that he looked a bit silly, he hurried over to the shore. The water was cold, but not as bad as that night. He thanked the sun for making it more bearable. 

Step by step, Matt made his way deeper into the water until he was completely submerged. The feeling gave him a bit of deja vu. He wondered if he'd see the little fish again as well. However, he quickly realized why people with oxygen tanks usually jumped from boats. It was pushing him to the sand like an anchor. Sure, the tank was heavy before hitting the water, but he had been so used to carrying his 16 year old sister on his back all the time, so it didn't feel as bad. Now, he really wished he had better muscles to keep himself up. 

Slowly, he was sinking further into the depths of the ocean. This wasn't too bad. It was only getting darker by the second, and darker waters meant dangerous creatures. Matt was about to give up and unclip the tank when a purple light caught the corner of his eye. 

He turned toward it and froze. 

There she was. 

There was the mermaid! She was glaring at him, her arms crossed over her chest. Matt didn't know why she looked upset, maybe because he had found her again? Or maybe it had to do with the mouthpiece hiding his lips from her. Either way, she did not look happy. He started to introduce himself, to say a simple "hello" but then he remembered he was underwater. Deep underwater. Speaking would be the dumbest thing he could do. So instead, he waved. 

The mermaid did not look amused. She uncrossed her arms though, and Matt had to tear his eyes away from her body, putting his attention on the bubbles that escaped from his mouthpiece. He hadn't noticed before that her chest was only covered by a handful of well-placed shiny scales, and he was pretty sure his face was as red as a tomato now. 

Before he could shift his eyes back to her, she had a steel grip on his arm and hoisted him up to the surface. 

With the water getting lighter as they swam up, he noticed a few details, like the scales that lined her spine from her tail, and a set of markings that circled half her stomach. He squinted to get a better look at the markings and saw that they were actually bite marks, and by the looks of it, they were from a shark. What kind, he had no clue. Matt wasn't Lance. He didn't study sea life. However, if he were to describe the scars, maybe Lance could supply an answer. He mentally gathered every detail he could on the marks before she yanked him up and his head popped out of the water. Without any sort of grace, she cupped her hand around the mouthpiece and yanked it out, earning a few coughs from Matt before he glared back at her. 

"What is your problem?!" He didn't expect an answer, but her voice came out sounding better than he would've thought. 

"You cannot be here." Her voice was as smooth and rich as her singing, only slightly thrown off with the tone of annoyance. "Hurry back to the shore before someone spots you and finds me too." 

She started to turn, but he was quick to grab her arm. "Wait!" Oops, too loud. He cleared his throat before trying again, this time, a bit softer. "Please, I swear I will not hurt you. I was just curious. I've never met a mermaid before." A light blush dusted his cheeks as he stared into her eyes. "My name's Matt. Do....Do you have a name?" Her brow raised in confusion, and while it was cute, he knew his attempts at conversation were weak. She surprised him once again. 

"Rae. My name is Rae." A small smile tugged at her lips, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared. "Look, I'm not supposed to be talking to you, but I need your help. Come back tonight when no one's around, we'll meet at that light thing." She pointed over to the signal booey that warns sailors of the upcoming shore. "And don't wear this ridiculous stuff." Her finger poked at the oxygen tank, then flicked his goggles. "It'll draw too much attention." 

"In case you haven't noticed, I can't breathe underwater. I need this stuff." This time he surprised himself. He was able to speak even after replaying her name over in his head. It was so simple, yet so beautiful. 

"You don't need this," she replied with a grin. "I'll make sure you can breathe just fine. Trust me like I'm trusting you. Now get out of here! I'll see you tonight." 

She turned away. "Don't make me regret this." That was the last thing she said before sinking back into the water. 

\---------------------- 

The whole way home, he was smiling like an idiot. 

Rae. 

Her name is Rae. The name fit her well, at least in looks. It still amazed him how human her name was. He was expecting something that had to do with the ocean or her scales. 

About a minute passed before the smile faded and he focused on the other thing she said. She needed his help, but why? I guess she didn't feel it was safe enough to tell him up front. But there was no one around for miles. Who would've heard their conversation? 

He was so wrapped up in answering the questions in his head that he didn't see the brawny build of his best friend until his whole body collided with it. 

Shiro stood in front of him, arms crossed and a scowl across his face. God, did he look like a disappointed parent. This could only mean one thing. "You have some explaining to do." Yep, here comes the lecture. 

Matt groaned, but followed his friend into his apartment, setting the scuba gear down by the door. Shiro didn't sit, even refused a beer that Matt kept in the fridge for him. He was definitely upset. Or concerned. Either way, it wasn't good. Matt took a seat, preparing for the earful he was about to get. 

"Did you forget about what we planned today?" Matt's eyes became saucers and he slapped his palm to his forehead. He completely forgot about Shiro's plan to visit his parents' graves. It had only been a few years since they passed, so Shiro was still uncomfortable on the idea of going alone. Matt had gone with him every time...until today. 

"I cannot believe this. I'm so sorry, Shiro. I..." He stopped. He couldn't tell him that he went to see a mermaid. That would be ridiculous, not to mention the anger and hurt Shiro will probably feel knowing that was the reason he ditched his best friend. "I didn't mean to forget, it was a really long week but we can go right now, there's still time to-" 

Shiro's hand came up to stop him. "I know work has taken up a lot of your time lately. Heck, I'd be driven insane doing what you do. But you're never forgetful. You ran out so fast, and you had this giant smile on your face, I can't help but wonder what had you so excited." A grin stretched across his face. "Were you going to meet a girl?" 

Matt glared at the older boy. "No, I was....I went to the beach to try and get the stress of work off my back." He couldn't lie to Shiro, not entirely at least. His hair was still wet from the water. "But it doesn't matter anymore, let's go right now and visit the cemetery." 

He got up only to be gently pushed back onto the couch. "I already went," said Shiro. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I got a lot off my chest, and it felt good. I'm not mad about you forgetting either. With everything you do, it must be hard to manage it all now. I'm glad you relieved some stress, but since you left me on my lonesome today, I'm staying over tonight and we're going to pig out on junk food that you and I both have been dying to eat, and watch some movies." 

"Wait, tonight?" The last thing Matt wanted to do was cancel on his friend again, but he was supposed to meet up with Rae. The urgency of her voice rang through his head. "I...I actually have some stuff I have to do, plus I have to stop by the office early tomorrow to get some paperwork organized for Monday." 

Shiro pouted. "Oh, come on! You're gonna leave me hanging again? These last minute rain checks better be because of a girl otherwise I might be hurt." 

Matt wanted to protest, but he ruled against it. Maybe it was better that Shiro thought he was meeting up with a date or something. He didn't want to hurt his friend. "I'll make it up to you. I promise." 

Standing, he walks over to his little change bowl and snags his spare key. "How's this? You can come over whenever you want and pester me." They both chuckle as Matt sets the key in his friend's hand. 

"Hm....I'll definitely take you up on that offer," Shiro replied with a smirk. "Have fun tonight." He turned and left without another word. 

\-------------------- 

The moon overhead shined bright, making the waves look both beautiful and dangerous. Matt took a moment to soak up the view before swimming out to the meeting spot, happy to not have that tank strapped to his back weighing him down. 

Although it still took a bit of effort, he made it to the booey. 

After about ten minutes, Rae's head emerged from the water, the purple light of her tail reflecting onto her skin and his. "Thank you for actually showing up." 

"You're kind of lucky I did. I had to cancel on my best friend, so whatever you need better be important." Matt didn't mean it to come out quite so stern, but he still was beating himself up over forgetting his plans earlier. 

Rae glared at him for a second, then latched her hand around his wrist and dove into the water, barely giving him time to hold his breath. She swam fast, zipping around rocks and fish until they made their way to what looked like a cave. Her eyes kept darting in all different directions, as if expecting someone, but no one was around. It was just them. 

She sighed and entered the cave, then let go of Matt's wrist and pointed upward. Matt got the hint and started swimming until his head broke through the surface. He gasped, taking in all the oxygen he could before she could yank him back under. 

Instead, she just looked at him funny. "You're acting like a fish out of water," she stated dryly. "What's wrong with you?" 

He stopped and stared at her. "What's wrong with me? I couldn't breathe because you didn't give me a warning that you were gonna drag me under!" How rude of her to ask such a stupid question, plus acting like he was the problem! 

Her hands found her face quickly. "I knew I was forgetting something!" She smacked her palm against her forehead twice. "I'm so sorry, I forgot to give you the bubble. It was supposed to let you breathe underwater. I was just in a hurry." 

Without thinking, he reached over and took her hand before she could beat herself up more. "Don't. Dont hurt yourself." He felt his face go soft as she looked him in the eye, her face practically screaming an apology. It was a weird mix of cute and pitiful. "It must be something important if you could forget that humans don't have gills." He chuckles, hoping it lightened the mood. 

A slight giggle escaped her lips before she gazes at their entwined hands just above the water, never making an effort to pull away. "I'm glad I can trust you. And....I'm Sorry about our first encounter." 

"You are? Why?" 

"Because." Her eyes met his once again. "I was supposed to kill you." 

Screeching sounded in his mind and he pulled his hand away from her. He was right, she was going to kill him! 

Fear flashed in her eyes and she moved toward him. "Wait, please don't be scared!" She hung her head in shame and sighed. "I was under orders by our king, Zarkon. He rules over the mer-people, well most of them. Anyway, he saw that you were near and sent me to dispose of you, but...when I found you...I became intrigued." A dark blush coated her cheeks and ears. 

"I've never been so close to a human, and I am rather curious when it comes to foreign things. So, when you were starting to lose consciousness, I pulled you up just enough so your friend could grab you. Then I watched you both leave. You were...different. I've heard plenty of stories of humans and all of them ended with us being either trapped or killed. Zarkon wants to get rid of all humans, but I don't like his motives. I think we can coincide peacefully if we just try. Learn about each other without being dissected or served for lunch." 

Matt had found a ledge just above the water and hoisted himself onto it with his feet still dipped in the water. "So you went against your kings demands....because you were intrigued....by me?" It didn't make sense. Matt wasn't special, he was below average. Sure, he was highly intelligent, but that was it. Intelligent and friendly. That's it. 

"Yes. That and I don't like to kill," Rae started as she swam over to the rock and rested her arms next to his legs. "It is not the way I was raised. My brother is a different story." Sadness cloaked her beautiful face. "Which brings me to why I brought you here. Zarkon thinks I killed you, so I couldn't just talk to you out in the open. This place is invisible under his radar. He has no idea it even exists. After a fight with his once old friend, he lost some of his ability to see the whole ocean. Now, he only gets majority populated areas, occasionally smaller ones. But here? No one knows about." 

Her sadness turned into a rock solid mask of determination. "A few days ago, my brother, Keith, swam out after finding out I didn't actually kill you. He wanted to do the job so that I wouldn't get punished for lying. Unfortunately, he went too far and got caught in a net. He's somewhere on land, and I have to find him before whoever caught him kills him, If-" she shudders at the thought. "If they haven't already." 

Matt scratched the back of his neck. "So, you want me to help you find him?" 

She nods. "You know the area, right? Can you help me?" Her pleading words gripped his heart. If he was in her shoes and Katie had gone missing, he'd want to find her no matter what. 

"Okay," he answered. "I'll help. Just one problem." She tilted her head in confusion. "How are you going to walk on land?" 

\--------------------- 

"Set the cases over there," Lance's father, Nicolás shouted over his shoulder. 

Lance had been helping his dad bring in the new supplies for two hours, and if he was honest, he was getting pretty tired. Moving multiple boxes of sardines and various other types of sea creature food was not how he planned on spending his Saturday night. 

He groaned, setting down the last three cases in the far corner of the storage room. "All right, that's the last of them." He sighed with relief. 

"Great," his dad answered, still not looking over his shoulder. "Now I just have to check it all in and we'll be good to go." 

"Ugh!" He turned away and headed for the door. "Then I'm gonna walk around 'til you get done." 

Lance didn't wait for his dad's approval before leaving the storage room to walk the enormous building that was his dad's lab. He could visit Eloise the Killer Whale, or Esteban the Tiger Shark. They usually liked his company. He could talk to them to kill time, rant about his dad or the one annoying kid in his swim class. They were good listeners. 

He started to make his way there when a light caught his eye. 

Snapping his head to the left, he saw where his dad and the crew would keep the new creatures, ones they haven't examined yet. However, unlike the twelve times before that Lance has passed this room, it never had a curtain covering it. This just made Lance all the more curious. 

Stretching his arm out, he tried to pull the curtain away with little success. Just his luck he'd get the lead curtain that is ridiculously heavy and so very tempting. He looked around to find a way in. 

Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of a small gap, just big enough for him to squeeze his scrawny body through. For once he was thankful for his build. 

Lance wiggled his way into the room, which was really dark and kind of spooky. The only source of light came from the giant tank in the center. Lance took two steps toward the tank, then he froze, taking in the sight before him. 

A pair of stormy gray eyes were staring back at him. Black hair swished in front of the eyes, and headed the back of his rather pale shoulders. A scar stretched from his jaw to his cheekbone. But the thing that made Lance freeze wasn't any of those things. It was the bright red tail that was attached to the boy. 

Lance was staring into the eyes of a fantastical creature. 

He was staring into the eyes of a merman!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaay! Chapter three is done and posted! I'm still surprised with the hits and kudos on this, but it's really fun continuing this story. I've come up with plenty of ideas. And since I had lance in here, naturally I had to bring in Keith. I'm a klance shipper, sue me! Actually dont, im broke as it is. But seriously, I hope you guys liked this chapter. It took a bit of work to get it the way I wanted, but I prevailed! Thanks again for your support, and check in at least once a week to see if it's updated!


	4. Deals and Intel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt and Rae search for a way to find her brother, and Lance gets to know the merman.

"So, who is this person again," Matt questioned, still gawking over the little air bubble that covered his head. Rae had made it from her own hands, and it was so cool that it didn't pop when he pressed into it.

 Rae swatted his hand away from the bubble for the thirteenth time and sighed. " How forgetful are humans?" There was an obvious hint of annoyance in her voice. "We're going to see Allura. She's the daughter of the last great king, Alfor. When Zarkon came to rule, he banished her so she could never take the throne, despite her many attempts. Allura is a special mermaid, the last of her kind."

 "Alteans you called them, right?"

 "Correct." She smiled, glad he was able to remember something of her speech before they went on their journey. "Alteans possessed magic and would use it to give life to the ocean and it's creatures. Allura uses her magic to grant wishes. She can change mer-people into anything they desire to get away from Zarkon. In this case; however, we need the wish to find my brother."

Matt frowned, perplexed. "So, you're going to ask her to..."

 Rae groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm going to wish to become a human to go onto land and find him," she hissed.

 "Wait, what?" Matt stopped, wide-eyed because he couldn't believe her.

 "Is there a problem?" Rae's eyes turned to him.

 He was still processing her words. "You're going to turn yourself into a human...to find your brother. I'm sorry, but doesn't that seem a bit dangerous?" Rae's brows furrowed, not comprehending his alarm. "You don't know anything about what's up there. Humans aren't always great, and you could get yourself in a lot of trouble if you so much as look at the wrong one. Why not let me find him for you? It'll be safer that way."

 "No." Her tail flicked impatiently, and her usual cold eyes burned with anger and frustration. "I'm going to find my brother. You are going to be my guide through the awful human world. Do not take offense, but I'm still a bit hesitant to trust you. Plus, my brother is less than fond of humans. If you tried on your own to help him, he'd try to stab you or something."

 That shut him up. The last thing he wanted was to be slaughtered by an aggressive merman.

 In silence they swam until the water turned pitch black and the only source of light emitted from Rae's tail. Matt wondered if all mermaid had that feature, or if it was a special gift that only she possessed. He kept his questions to himself this time, knowing she'd grow annoyed again if he didn't.

 Coming over the slope, his eyes fell on a beautiful crystal castle, shining so bright that the waters around it were the same shade as the surface during the daytime. Rae's violet tail dimmed, no longer needing to emit its light for guidance. "Here we are," Rae said with a mix of hope and fear stirring in her throat. "The castle of Altea." She swam down toward the front door, Matt following swiftly behind.

 Something was off. Matt looked around, but there was no one in sight. If this was the rightful heir to the crown, shouldn't she be guarded? "Um, Rae?"

 "Hush!" She hissed quietly.

 "Rae, this shouldn't be this easy."

 As if on cue, a giant, bright red fish came toward them, knocking Matt to the ground so fast he couldn't see more than colors. "Matt!" Rae hurried to his side, but a bright blue flash hit her fins, and she was stuck in an icy shackle. She tried to pry herself free, but the ice grew the more she struggled.

Matt finally came to, but he wished he hadn't. Hovering above them were five fish bigger than a house, each with a different color, but all had the face of a lion and they looked hungry. "We're dead."

 

\------------------

 

Lance carefully stepped closer to the tank. He didn't want to spook the creature, even though the creature seemed ready to rip his leg off and chew on it for an hour. The dark-skinned boy contemplated how he could get the merman to smile or show his teeth so he could prove whether they were pointy like shark teeth, or dull like a human's. "H-hello," was all he could say under the glare of the merman.

 Silence.

 Lance took a deep breath before trying again. "Can...can you understand me? Or hear me at all?" More silence.

"Look, even if you can't understand, I'm just going to start by saying I will not hurt you. I don't think I could even if I tried, so you can lose the defensive glare and not look at me like I'm fish food."

 The merman's brow creased as he tilted his head in confusion. Lance gasped.

 "So you can understand me!"

 The raven-haired boy suddenly raised one eyebrow. "This is the coolest thing ever," Lance continued, being sure to keep his voice down and not alert his father. "I've always dreamed of meeting a mermaid...er- sorry, merman." He pressed his hands against the glass, staring in awe. "What's it like?"

 The merman remained silent, moving away from the strange boy.

 "What's the matter? Can't you talk?" Would Lance be able to understand him even if he could? He did not know, and he wouldn't know unless he got the creature to say something.

 An idea popped into his head, and he prayed it worked.

 After all, this merman was a bit thin. "Are you hungry?" The merman's eyes widened, and he moved closer to the glass. How long has it been since he ate anything? Lance searched the nearby crates that stored food for the other animals. Inside one was seaweed, which made the merman cringe. "Not a veggie guy. I get it." He continued to the next, which contained loads of krill.

 The merman shook his head. Gee, picky much?

 Finally, Lance found the last crate. As he pried open the lid, a horrendous odor wafted in his face, making him cough and gag. It was by far the smelliest fish he's ever encountered, but it sparked the merman's interest. "You can't be serious. This?!" The fish boy nodded a little too eagerly. Lance groaned and found the nearest pair of gloves, and carefully took out three of the smelly fish. He made his way back to the tank and climbed the small ladder which led to the feeding balcony, then he chucked one fish into the tank. The merman swiftly caught his prey and downed it with such vigor that made Lance nervous. He was glad he was high enough up to avoid getting chewed on. Once the creature came back up, Lance caught a glimpse at his teeth. They were pointed, but not as sharp as a shark's. That just meant it would be more painful if he decided to make a meal out of the one feeding him. But those grey eyes weren't full of hatred and confusion. It almost looked like happiness. He looked up at Lance, awaiting his next fish.

 "Ah, ah, ah," Lance chided, holding the fish out of the merman's reach. "I'll only give you more fish if you start answering my questions."

 A scowl formed on the merman's face, but he succumbed, much too hungry to keep up his silent facade any longer. It was bound to happen eventually, but at least it was with this human who seemed slightly different from the ones that yanked him from the sea. Slightly. His curiosity still was unnerving. Lance sat down, letting his feet dangle just above the water. "Let's start with something simple. Do you have a name?"

 The merman nodded before realizing the boy was asking him to state his name. "I'm Keith," he said dryly.

 Lance blinked in surprise. He knew he made the deal, but he didn't actually expect him to comply so easily. "Keith?" He repeated the name, testing it out for himself. "That's kind of strange. I guessed mermen would have more exotic names. Y'know, relating to the ocean and stuff."

 Keith growled. "Well sorry that I don't have an interesting name. It's a human name and I hate it." He made sure to show his hatred for humans as he glared at the boy. Instead of receiving the usual angry fit and fists, or some other sort of pain, this human just looked defeated, his eyes fell onto the food in his hands. Why was this human acting so strangely?

 Lance kept his word and chucked another fish into the water, watching closely as Keith ate, still fixing his icy glare on him. "Okay, Keith. How did you get here?"

 Keith stopped munching on his fish. He replaced his glare and kept a close eye on the human, gadging his reaction. "I was caught by a group of fishermen. They snagged me because I was too close to the surface and my tail could be spotted a mile away." On cue, his tail swished side to side, and Lance was mesmerized by the shining crimson color.

 "Wait." Lance snapped back to reality. "If your tail is that bright, why would you go up toward the surface? No offense, but that's kind of a stupid move."

 "I was trying to catch a human that my overly curious sister let go!" He snapped, contemplating grabbing the boy's leg and drowning him. How dare he say that when he doesn't even know what it's like under the sea. He tore into the last little bit of his fish in frustration. It wasn't a good idea for humans to know about the kingdom, or anything at all for that matter. _Why did I agree to answer his questions?_ The rumbling in his stomach quickly reminded him. The boy still had the fish in his hands. "Last week, a human swam into our territory at night. Our emperor ordered my sister to execute him, but she's always had a soft spot for humans because of her lack of knowledge on them. After I found out she spared him, I was furious and acted with haste to try to find him again and finish the job so she would be spared of any punishment. All I found was a boat and I couldn't get away in time. I'm fast, but they were faster. Next thing I know, I'm being thrown in this tank and now talking to you."

 The human stood quickly and ran off the metal ledge out of Keith's sight. Keith thought he was going to run off and inform the other humans about what he learned, and that made him panic. They would try to find the kingdom. They'd find Rae!

 His thoughts were cut short by movement, and the boy came back with a whole bag full of fish. He dumped the contents into the water and Keith's eyes could only bulge at the amount of food in front of him. It was a feast meant for a king. Going from one to the next, he gobbled down the fish until only the bones remained floating. The boy took a small net attached to a long pole and collected the carcasses and threw them into a bag.

 Keith wasn't sure why the human would go out of his way to do that, and he felt guilty for not immediately thanking him. "I...um..." This was harder than he thought. Thanking a human, who he was supposed to despise with every fiber of his being, for performing an act of.... kindness. The proof was set, this human was weird.

 "I wanted to make sure you had enough to eat," said Lance as he scratched the back of his neck. A smile formed on his face and that made Keith smile slightly. "I'm sorry you were captured, but I want you to know that you'll be safe here. At least while I'm here you will be. I don't let them do anything to my other fishy friends, so that applies to you, too."

 "Lance?"

 Both boys froze at the sound of the older man's voice. Nicolás was searching the building for his son, and that was not a good thing for Lance. "I have to go," he said frantically, heading back toward the curtain. The blue-eyed boy paused just as he reached the heavy fabric and looked back at Keith. He easily saw fear and... was it sadness? "I promise I'll come back, and I won't tell anyone what you said. You have my word." Lance left before he could see the merman's reaction, but it was like he could feel that Keith smiled.

 

\------------------

 

Matt and Rae were pinned under the gaze of the biggest lion-fish, a black one with yellow along its brow almost like a crown, and a strange looking symbol that resembled the letter "v". The ice around Rae's tail finally broke, but she remained still. "This is why I was trying to shush you," she chided. Matt stared back at her in disbelief.

 "Oh, so this is my fault? You didn't tell me this place was guarded by fish the size of a building!" He was not about to let her blame this all on him.

 "It's a castle with the rightful heir to the throne inside, of course it's going to be guarded!"

 "Well you still could have warned me!"

 "Silence!" A new voice echoed.

 The five lion-fish split, making a path for what Matt guessed was their commander.

 There, in the center, was a woman with dark, sparkling skin, sapphire eyes, and hair white as a fresh blanket of snow. She was the most exotic woman he had ever laid eyes on, a goddess among men.

 Next to him, Rae groaned and shook her head. Matt wanted to glare at her, but he was still afraid the lionfish would gobble him up if he so much as blinked. "Princess Allura," Rae began, sounding quite proper for a girl who was bickering with him a minute ago. "My name is Rae. I apologize for our intrusion, but I'm in desperate need of your help. Please, princess."

 Princess Allura looked over the two trespassers for a second, then turned her head, causing the lion-fish to growl and hiss.

 Rae panicked until she sprung upright. The motion was lightning fast and almost gave Matt a headache from turning his head to see what she was doing. "Please! I'm begging you! I need your magic to find my brother before the humans discover too much about him, about us!" She balled her hands into fists, making the lion-fish uneasy. "My father was a guard to yours. He spied for King Alfor and it was him that warned the king of Zarkon's attack! You are alive because of him!"

 Allura spun to face the other girl. Her eyes were wide with shock and sadness. Matt looked between the two, worried the princess would sick her guard fish on them for the very mention of the king, but seeing Rae's face, it was clear to see she was broken inside.

 However, she continued to speak. "As soon as my father knew of Zarkon’s plans to overthrow Altea, he risked exposure to make sure Alfor was informed and could plan accordingly. He tried to convince the king to hide with you, but your father believed in making a final stand. That, and he knew that when the time came, you would rise and become a ruler greater than he ever was. He saw potential in you, but if you do nothing, then we’re all going to be discovered and possibly risk extinction. Please, my father is gone now. Keith is all I have left, and if I must bargain something, then… I’ll bargain myself.”

 Both Matt and Allura were stunned to hear those words leave her mouth.

 “If you grant my wish and let me find my brother, I will become your slave, servant, guard, whatever you want me to be. I will not try to escape, and no one will know where this castle is. You have my word.”

  _Why is she doing this?_ Matt thought to himself. She’s going through all these lengths to find her brother, only to let him go once she does? It didn’t make sense to him. Then again, if he were in her position, and it was Katie at risk, he probably would do the same thing.

 Allura swam toward Rae, looking at her closely. She circled around about three times before her gaze led back to the other mermaid. “So, you wish to become human to search the land for your brother. I think I can arrange that. Just be sure to hold up your end of the bargain.”

 Gesturing the two into the castle, Allura led them through the many corridors until they reached the top, where a large room filled with potions and an assortment of jarred creature parts lined the walls. Moving quickly, she moved Rae to the center of the room, then scurried to grab some ingredients.

 “Let’s see,” she sang-song, seeming a bit too happy to put the concoction together. “Three scales from my dearest white lion-fish, poor thing will be missed, a bit of bioluminescent algae, two teeth from a Great White Shark, a petal from the lovely Juniberry flower, and finally,” She picked up a dagger and swam toward Matt with a bright smile on her face. Matt’s instincts were telling him to run; however, as he backed away, she caught his arm and in one swift motion sliced the blade across his hand. He flinched, but noticed the cut immediately heal. The dagger, strangely enough, had his blood trapped within the hilt. “The blood of the creature which you will take form.”

 After mixing the ingredients, she handed the chalice to Rae and ordered her to drink it. Rae looked at the strange, dark liquid, hesitating to drink since she knew what was in it. She took a deep breath and tipped the cup all the way back, chugging every last drop. Matt nearly gagged when she finished and just sort of shrugged as if it was nothing. “Was that it,” Rae asked, her eyes falling to her tail to see if it had changed yet.

 “Almost,” the princess replied, grinning wickedly. “This next part will hurt, though. Oh, and don’t forget, you have one week to find him.”

 Rae’s eyes widened with fear, and after a few moments of mental panic, she hunches forward and curls into a ball, wriggling in pain. Screams echoed throughout the room before they slowly turned into bubbles and Matt watches, horrified, as her tail splits in two, shrinking into human feet, and all of her pretty purple scales on her back fall off like a second skin. Her white streaks darkened to match the rest of her raven hair, and within twenty-two seconds, any and all traces of a mermaid had vanished.

 The bubble she created popped suddenly, leading to the crashing revelation that neither could breathe underwater anymore.

 Matt acted fast and grabbed Rae’s arm, tugging her up to the surface before they both lost the remaining oxygen they had. The swim back to the surface was tricky; nonetheless, they both successfully broke through the surface, taking in as much air as they could. Rae started to sink back under since she wasn’t taught how to swim with two legs, but Matt shifted his grip from her wrist to her waist, and started swimming to shore, slowly but surely. Luckily, it was still dark out, so no one was on the beach except for the occasional drunk or a couple looking for privacy.

 They lost balance as soon as their feet touched the wet sand. The moment Matt’s head hit the sand, he decided he didn’t want to get back up for a while. He was exhausted from all the swimming. His sand colored hair stuck to his forehead with a fresh coat of sand now on it, but he didn’t bother to move it aside, lest risking the chance of sand in his eyes.

 When he finally had the strength to move, he sat up and turned his gaze to the former mermaid. Regret instantly set in as he noticed the girl beside him was stark naked. Like the dork he was, or as Shiro claimed him to be, he floundered around, keeping his eyes on anything but her, and putting as much distance between them as he could. She gave him weird looks, but he couldn’t help it; he had never seen a girl nude before.

 Rae’s attention shifted to her new feet. She stroked her hand across the skin, wiggled the toes, scanned every single aspect before dropping them down onto the sand with a plop. “They’re hideous,” she said dryly. Matt could only glare at her before he got up and ordered her to stay put while he found her some clothes.

 He scanned the area, settling on searching the little community showers for clothes someone left behind or a towel, something to cover her at least until they got back to his place. That was the other problem. Mr. Choi monitored the cameras carefully around the hallways of the apartment complex to make sure no one was being robbed and nothing illegal was going on. Smart, but if he saw Matt bring Rae to his place, he’d ask questions and probably want to meet her, and the last thing he wanted was for her to draw in attention while they did their search.

 One week. That’s all they had. One week to find a merman in a huge city.

 Arriving at the showers, it was quick to hear he was not alone. A couple, in the middle of their passionate rendezvous, were in the farthest stall, too engulfed in each other to notice anyone around. _Good_ , he thought.

 He swiftly searched, finding only a dark blue robe hanging just outside the occupied stall. He mentally apologized before snagging the robe and rushing out of the showers, thankful he didn’t have to stay in there much longer. Suddenly, he ran into something, or rather someone.

 “What are you doing?!” he whispered, being sure to keep his eyes on hers.

 “You were taking too long,” Rae replied casually, making no effort to cover herself. He understood that she had no idea how the human world worked, but if she kept up the public nudity, Matt was going to have a heart attack. In one swift motion, he threw the robe over her and helped her arms into the sleeves and tied the knot around the waist to secure the fabric.

 “Listen, you cannot go around wearing nothing, okay? Stay in the robe until we get home, and then we will find you some clothes. Until then, you keep that on, got it?” She nodded, then turned her head to the showers as the noise inside grew louder. “Ignore that!” he hissed as he took her hand and led her back to his apartment, planning carefully how he was going to sneak her in.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again!! I know it's been forever since I've posted anything, but life has gotten in the way a lot, plus I've spent most of my time trying to work on my main Voltron fic. I don't know if anyone still reads this stuff, especially with the news exploding over the creators' original plans for the show, but think of this as a nice fic that will stray from their creations and become something new! I do hope I didn't upset anyone by going off the grid so long, but I'm working on posting more often. This fic will be a little more slow going since my main focus is on The Secret Weapon, which if you wish to, I totally recommend checking out, but I figured I should let you know. Thanks again for those who read it, let me know what you think! Until next time!


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